Our Princess Dreams Of Flying
by BethFromEarth
Summary: "We have created legends in the past and we will surely do so in the future, we are bound to a cycle that will continue over the ages." Post OoT. Skyward Sword spoilers.


**Our Princess Dreams Of Flying**

The wind blew across the fields and gently rustled the hair of the two Hylians sitting within the flowers. From a distance, one might believe the two to be statues, one staring towards the heavens, the flashes of thoughts and memories briefly crossing her eyes. The other laying asleep in the grass, the slow movement of his chest as he breathed being the only sign that he was real.

It was the young girl that moved first, she turned to her companion, watching the way the wind moved his hair and the way the sun changed it from blonde, to almost golden. As she was watching, she noticed his blue eyes fluttering, and slowly becoming focused on the present, and as he turned to her, she flashed a small smile, one that he returned without hesitation. The young girl giggled lightly, the movement causing her earrings and blonde bangs sway.

"Good morning, sleepyhead, has our little adventure out of the castle really worn you out that much?"

The young boy simply smiled in response to her teasing, slowly sitting himself up to look at his companion.

"You know Zelda, sometimes it's good to have a nap, plus, I think I deserve a nap, seeing as I saved Hyrule." he said with a chuckle.

The young girl laughed at him once again, it was true, he had saved the land that she ruled over, but it had been years since then, and it was an event that wouldn't even be written into the history books. Her decision to send him back to regain his lost years meant that Hyrule's history had been rewritten and as a result, the Kingdom had received 7 years of peace, and the young Princess had given her Hero a place to live within the castle, allowing them to spend those "lost years" together.

"Zelda?"

The young Hero pulled her out of her thoughts, he had noticed her expression falling, and though he tried to mask his concern, he had failed miserably. She could read him too well. Though it may have had a lot to do with the connection the two shared, she knew that he was concerned about her silence.

"Link..." she started. "Do you remember when we first met, and I told you about my dreams?"

The boy she called Link looked at her quizzically, of course he remembered, he could never forget the crazy little princess he met on that day. He had barely introduced himself before she launched into an excited discussion about her dreams of the future and the role that he played. Link nodded at the girl, noticing the way her sapphire blue eyes suddenly became darker.

"I was talking to Impa the other day," Zelda began. "Recently I've been dreaming about... flying. We were talking about how my dreams are mainly prophetic" She looked at the boy, who was staring at her, hanging on every word, she almost lost her train of thought, lost in his eyes, when she realised he was waiting for her to continue. "Well, we think that... some of them are quite the opposite"

This caught the boy off guard. Link continued to stare at her, allowing her time to compose her thoughts and assemble them into some kind of order. He had always been aware of prophetic dreams, but what did she mean by dreams that were the "opposite", did she mean memories of her childhood, or just normal dreams? His thoughts were interrupted again.

"Link... I'm going to tell you a story" the boy opened his mouth in protest, but she cut him off. "Let me finish, you'll get your answers." And so he shut his mouth and nodded his head, motioning for her to continue. And so Zelda started again.

"I'm going to tell you a story, Link, you don't have to believe everything I say, but just know that what I say is true, no matter how crazy it may seem to you." At this, the boy in green simply stared at the princess, though he silently questioned whether she had finally lost the plot.

So the princess begun, and as she spoke, the world seemed to fade away, until the only thing left was the girl with the golden hair with the shining eyes.  
>"I've seen our futures Link, but sometimes... I see our pasts. Before I truly start, let me tell you now, we are not the only versions of us that there have been. We have created legends in the past and we will surely do so in the future, we are bound to a cycle that will continue over the ages." She took a deep breath and continued once again.<p>

"There was once a time when we ruled the skies on great birds of red and blue. Life was simple... to begin with. I was not a princess and you were not a hero, we were knights, children of the Sky. We were children of Hylia. We soared the skies that the Gods had given to us, we were not bound to the Earth and we were free" As she spoke, Zelda became lost in an era that had long since passed, and as she lost herself, she took Link with her, her words weaving a tale that had to be true.

"However, our peaceful, ignorant lives ended, Fate decided to involve herself in our lives, neither for the first or last time." This comment made Link huff slightly, he knew his friend Fate very well, she always had a habit of becoming involved at the most inappropriate moments. Zelda smiled at his reaction and continued once again.

"Suddenly... I was a Goddess and you were my Chosen One. We saved the Skies and the Earth together, the land we knew and the land we had wanted to know, we played our part in the plan that had been set in motion by the Gods and I... Though, at the time, I was known as Hylia, the Goddess and protector of the Land we know today. Hyrule was mine and I was Hyrule's."

Link interrupted the young woman with a light comment, though they could both sense the heavier meaning behind it: "It doesn't sound so different from how it is now." Zelda laughed slightly, but continued with her story, she was determined to take this weight off her mind _before_ her nursemaidImpa hunted them down for being late.

"With the plan in motion, we protected the lands, we saved the Triforce and once peace had returned, the people from the skies gradually came down onto the Earth, with the power of the Goddess, I re-established the land of Hyrule. We were it's rulers, Link. You and I, the Goddess and the Hero reincarnates. We are the ones History speaks of, though she is forgetful, and left out many details, I know the legends far better than any history book." Her voice was becoming quieter, now that she was finally saying it out loud, she realised just how well she knew their past. She internally cursed the Gods for her knowledge, for making her who she was, for giving her the Triforce of Wisdom. Then she cursed herself, for being Hylia, for making the decisions she made in the past, for everything she ever did to the beautiful land and it's inhabitants.

Link was staring at the young Princess, her words slowly sinking in. They made sense to him, he knew it was all true, he wondered why he had not been blessed with this knowledge and why the Gods had left him ignorant. However, he soon realised that they had not simply left him with nothing, he knew who he was, he knew who Zelda was and he knew his duty. Deep down, he knew everything.

"Don't stop, Zelda, I want to hear the rest of our past. The tutors in the castle don't teach us anything of legend, or of our pasts." He had meant it to be a light comment, but once again, the gravity of the situation made it have far more meaning that he had ever intended.

Zelda smiled sadly at the young man, she wondered how odd it was that one conversation had changed them both and it hadn't even finished yet. Before, they were simply Zelda and Link, 17 and 18 respectively, both with terribly dark pasts, but bright futures, now suddenly there were Hylia and the Hero, both thousands upon thousands of years old, bound to a cycle that they now both knew of. And it was all her fault.

"Sometimes... I dream of my time as a Goddess, of the actions that decided the fate of the world, of the sacrifices I made by loving a mortal, of the cycle I condemned us to. We've seen many horrors, and the Goddess within me knows there are many more to come. But in every dream, whether it be of the past or the future, I always see us..." The young woman paused for a while as she and her companion stared up at a dark cloud that had made its way above them.

_Funny_. She thought. _It seems like even the heavens are giving us a warning about our dark futures. _

While waiting for her to continue, Link simply stared at her, watching the way her long hair moved gently in the wind, changing shades, glimmering in the rays of light. He watched her blue eyes changing colour, and he felt her emotions through the bond they shared. While watching her, he felt his own emotions, he felt the need to protect his friend from her own pain, to save her from the decisions they both made in the past.

_What use is it being the Hero of Time, when I cant even save her from herself? _He questioned internally. As a distraction, he returned to simply watching Zelda, then realised that she had said she had loved a mortal. Could this mortal be himself? Could a Goddess really have fallen for a mortal man who was barely worthy of even her presence? Even now, he felt blessed that the Princess of Hyrule even remembered his name, let alone let him live in her castle, or be her best friend, or spend every waking moment with her. As Link was coming to some kind of conclusion, Zelda coughed lightly.

"We always look different, you know? Sometimes you'll be much younger when you set out on your journey, sometimes I'll have dark hair, sometimes you'll have brown eyes, but it's always_ us. _The Goddess and the Chosen Hero, reborn. One time, I even saw you fail."

The last comment certainly took Link by surprise, Zelda had seen him fail? Had he died while protecting her? He knew without asking that the answer would be _yes_, simply because he knew that he would die protecting her, even now, when evil had been sealed away. Zelda suddenly looked like she wanted to cry, he wanted to hold her, stroke her hair and wipe the tears away, but he knew that she wouldn't give in to her emotions just yet, and so he restrained himself.

"Even though we're different now, I lack my status as the Goddess and you as the Hero of Hylia, we are still exactly the same people. You are still my Link and I am still your Zelda. We are exactly the same as we were when we first saved this world, yet at the same time, we are completely different" she took a deep breath, causing her light jewellery to move slightly. In a corner of her mind, she questioned why she had even worn it today, her "Princess" attire annoyed her on most days, so she had opted for a light blue blouse and brown riding trousers, though, for some reason, she had left the jewellery on.

Suddenly, the young Princess turned to look at her friend, a boy who had appeared from the ancient forests one day, with the glittering Triforce on his hand, the symbol of the Gods. The relic they had fought so hard to protect. She knew who he was instantly, memories of their adventures flooded back, past lives, past adventures, each mingled with songs and stories passed down over the years about the Hero of Hylia, the Hero of the Skies, the Hero of Time. Each the same man, just a different name. Much like herself, he had many names, but underneath it all, he was the same person. Her Hero, her companion, her best friend. Possibly even her _soul mate_. She knew the Goddess chose Link because of his strong soul, his courage, his power, his wisdom. But behind everything, the main driving force was Hylia's undeniable love for her Hero. Even now, thousands of years later, though they were both different people, she still loved him and she hoped, that somewhere, under the years of torment, the lives filled with suffering and pain caused by her, that he still loved her too.

Zelda took in every part of his appearance, his scars, his forest green clothes that rustled in the wind. She rarely could get him to wear many other colours, but that had always been the case. Green was the colour of the Hero, the colour of Courage and the Goddess Farore. Her eyes moved from his blonde hair, slightly too long, uncontrollable and yet perfect, to his face. She looked at his eyes, the colour of Time, deep and sparkling blue, his features, still slightly childlike, but angular and strong. Just as she was taking in the rest of him, she noticed, belatedly, that her Hero was staring at her too. He was taking her in, just as much as she had taken him in. She didn't understand what there was to look at, sure, she had been beautiful as a Goddess, and as a princess, she had to be at least easy on the eyes, but the way he looked at her made her feel like he was looking at the Goddess that she once was. It made her feel safe, yet confused. What did he see in her?

"Link?" She said, breaking him out of his trance like state. "I wish that we could fly together again, in the land above the clouds, in the land we created, then saved... then abandoned"

"What happened to our land, Zelda?" he asked softly, with the slightest of frowns on his lips.

"Skyloft. It was called Skyloft. And it fell... After the people left, it had no use, it had served its purpose and so parts of it were returned to the Earth. Most of it's still up there, and I've heard stories from the Sheikah that it's not impossible to get back up there. Apparently, the birds of the Gods are still there too... Also, you know the Temple of Time, don't you?"

_Of course I know the Temple of Time_, he thought,_ it's one of my favourite places, the Master Sword rests there, I can travel time there, it's Hyrule's final link to the Sacred Realm..._  
>Realising that she was waiting for an answer, Link nodded, though they both knew that he knew of the sacred building.<p>

"It is what remains, and what has been rebuilt, of an ancient temple constructed in the name of the Goddess... No matter what era it is, that place has always been important to our lives and our journeys, but the relics and the statue that stand behind it once lived above the clouds."

Sensing a sudden bitter tone in her voice, Link realised that he had to say something now before he lost her to the sadness caused by her actions, the actions she took long before they were even born.

_That's going to be difficult to get my head 'round. _He thought before continuing.

"Zelda... Everything I've ever done, in this life and the others you're talking about, I have done it for you. Do **not **regret the actions you took as Hylia, that was in the past, and at the time, you were a Goddess, you knew better than anyone what was right and what was wrong, you made the decision to keep people safe, to protect the people who loved and worshipped you, who you loved in return. I know myself, I know that even in our first lives, I would have devoted my life to helping you"

The rise in his voice and the onslaught of new emotions caught Zelda off guard. Of course she knew this already, as Hylia she had foreseen all of this, all of their lives, all of their actions, and all of their emotions. It didn't stop the rising feeling of pride and love that she felt for Link, but it didn't excuse her actions. Her love was battling her anger, her emotions were mixing with Link's through their bond and she couldn't take it any more. She lost her temper.

"LINK. I KNOW THAT ALREADY, I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN IT. IT DOESNT FORGIVE MY ACTONS OR THE FACT THAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY BOUND TO A CYCLE THAT THREATENS TO TEAR US APART AND DESTROY THE WORLD WITH THE CONTINUOUS FIGHT AGAINST THE EVIL I WORKED SO HARD TO SEAL!" Her breathing was hard and heavy, she very rarely lost her temper, especially with Link. It was hard to be mad at someone like him.

Link just looked at her, he sent her waves of his emotions over their bond, constantly changing, all very strong. Her outburst had worn her out, and while she normally maintained a wall between the two of them for their own privacy, Link's emotions attacked the wall, again and again, when suddenly, her defences failed, and Link's mind joined with her own. He had never known about the defences before, but now they were gone they felt so much more free that they both cried out in shock and relief. The silence after the woman's outburst dragged on. Suddenly she heard Link say her name, she turned to look at him but realised he hadn't spoken aloud.

_Funny, I never knew we may possess the ability to communicate telepathically. I guess some of Hylia's powers really do still rest within me..._

_Zelda..._ Link's mental voice spoke again, she looked at him, feeling so vulnerable and exposed, yet so natural.

She decided to speak aloud, rather than through their newly strengthened bond."I'm sorry, Link, please forgive me... I didn't want to lose my temper and shout at you." She sighed and looked away from the man she could only now call her soul mate. Though the meaning of the term was much wider now.

"It's okay... It's understandable, you've been keeping a very large secret for a very long time. But Zelda, the Gods, and you, chose me to fight for you, I was created to fight for you. It's my soul's main purpose, I can _feel_ it! And it's so much more obvious now that we've discovered this little... connection we have." His words were quiet, and he spoke softly, but it didn't hide the emotion that was now flowing freely between the two of them.

_Love._

"If that is the case Link, then the Gods always created me for a purpose other than being Hylia. They created me for you" The young man next to her smiled as she spoke. "But it does not ease my pain. As a Goddess, I involved my own people in a war to protect the Triforce, you were one of them. I endangered you, my hero, my love, and I started this cursed cycle. I left my people, moved them to the sky, abandoned them when they needed me the most. As a Princess, I have practically done the same thing."

Link couldn't take it any more, he refused to accept Zelda's self-depreciating attitude, she was a _Goddess reborn_ for Nayru's sake! He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the speech he was about to give.

"Princess Zelda, Your Grace, your actions were for the greater good and they always have been, you are a Goddess, created by the Gods of Old, you are far closer to them than anyone else could hope to be. Deep down, you know that what you have done in your past lives is the right thing to do, it has created cycle that will allow us to save your land time and time again. We will always protect this land, you are it's Princess and I am it's Hero, though you are no longer a Goddess, you are still the Gods Chosen protector of this land, you are their Holy Creation and they will continue to favour you and your decisions, even if you lack the physical form of a Goddess, you have the beautifully pure soul of one. You are Hylia and Hylia is you, the only difference is now is that people call you Zelda."

Link gave a brief pause as he inhaled once again. He was not done yet.  
>"Zelda, Hylia, as your best friend and Chosen Hero, I will always protect you, you are my Princess, my Goddess, my best friend and now I believe that you're my soul mate too. I will not let your actions, especially those from another life, upset you in any way. What has happened, happened many centuries ago, even as the Hero of Time, there is nothing I can do to help you change those decisions."<p>

Before Zelda could open her mouth to reply, Link closed the small distance between then and hugged her fiercely. He wished he could hug all of her pain away, but all he could do was be there. Be her Hero. Maybe even love her if she would let him.

_I love you Zelda. I will always protect and choose you._

As this thought entered her head, she looked up at Link, the young boy she had known had literally grown up in front of her. In the space of mere hours, her 18 year old friend suddenly seemed thousands of years old. It did not surprise her though, she felt it too. They were no longer the people they were when they left the castle, and for that, she was grateful. She felt lighter, yet heavier, she felt free and yet she felt bound.

_I love you too, Link, it's why I chose you first._

Admittedly, she was teasing him once again in an attempt to regain some kind of normality, yet she knew that her words rang true. She did choose him first, but he made his choice soon after.

They held onto each other for a while longer, relishing in each others warmth, the emotions running through their minds and bodies. For the first time in what felt like centuries, they both felt _happy. _Really and truly happy, glad that for once, Fate had allowed her two favourite children to find happiness in each other, rather than giving them the destruction that had become so common in their lives.

Soon though, they were broken out of their thoughts as they heard someone crying their names. Link released his hold of Zelda and held only her hand as he helped her up. As they scanned the horizon they saw a flash of snowy white hair and blue armour as Zelda's nursemaid Impa rushed up to the couple using the inhuman speed of the Sheikah. Taking note of their joined hands, she simply motioned for them to return to the castle with her, giving Zelda a subtle look, warning her that they would speak later.

As they walked back to the grand castle, Link and Zelda tested their new bond and by the time they walked into the castle, they had used it to decide to go to the King's study and read through his volumes dedicated to Hyrule's history and the legends that the couple secretly knew were all true. For hours, they poured over the books, reading of the history of the monarchy, of Skyloft, of the temples and the sages, making their own additions where they knew they could. They busied themselves over the legends they knew to be true, the Legends of the Gods of Old, of Hylia and her Chosen One, of the Princess and her Hero, of Zelda and Link.

That night, the Princess dreamt of flying with her Hero above the clouds, in a land forgotten by the ages, where she was a Goddess and where he was her best friend, her Hero and her soul mate. She slept well, with the knowledge that she had made the right decisions and that even in the darkness of the cycle she had condemned them to, she would always have a ray of light.

_She would always have her Hero._


End file.
